U.S. remains confident in Thai food exports

BANGKOK, November 15 (TNA) - The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives says that the United States has remained confident in Thai food exports, including farm and seafood products, despite Thailand's ongoing flooding crisis. Thai Deputy Permanent Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperatives Niwat Sutheemeechaikul explained on Monday that it is normal for Washington to carry out 100 per-cent inspections, or increased sampling rates, on food containers shipped from Thailand, based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Food Modernisation Act, to ensure safety to U.S. consumers. Niwat insisted that Washington's increased sampling rates have been impartially imposed on food products shipped from all countries, following an advance written notice from the U.S. FDA to all foreign food exporters. The senior Thai official acknowledged that the United States has remained confident in quality and safety of Thai food products, as he has assigned Thailand's External Agricultural Counselling Office in Washington to send a letter to the U.S.-FDA, confirming that the country's flooding has not affected any local food processing plants. The senior Thai Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry official's remarks followed recent local media reports, quoting President of the Thai Frozen Foods Association (TFFA) Phanisuan Chamnanvej as saying, that the U.S. FDA has informed local food exporters of its 100 per-cent inspections of all containers of Thai frozen seafood products due to the ongoing flooding. (TNA)